Vigorous

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɪɡəɹəs/

Definitions

1. Characterized by physical strength, energy, and active force in action or effect
2. Possessing or demonstrating robust power, intensity, and forceful determination in pursuit or execution
3. Marked by considerable vitality, strength, and dynamic effort applied with enthusiastic vigor

Etymology: Latin "vigor" meant liveliness and active strength, and its root sense is close to "to be lively" or "to be awake." The English adjective arrived by a winding route: it passed through Anglo-Norman "vigrus," which came from Old French "vigoros," and that in turn descended from Medieval Latin "vigōrōsus," a formation built on Latin "vigor" with the suffix "-osus," meaning "full of." So the word is literally "full of vigor," a chain of borrowings in which each stage kept the core idea of abundant energy. French then gave English a parallel pair. The Old French form "vigoros" also produced the Italian-derived doublet "vigoroso," which English took separately, so the two words are cousins that arrived by different paths. "Vigorous" itself carries the sense of forceful, energetic action that the Latin noun always implied, rather than mere physical strength.

Synonyms: energetic, robust, dynamic, forceful, strong

Antonyms: weak, feeble